Taking a Step to the Right... and a Step Backward
In many ways, Civilization V is the best iteration of the Civilization series. In many other ways, it isn't.
The Civilization series is a longstanding one, possessing an impressive pedigree of games. Each instalment in the series typically features incremental improvements on the core mechanics of its predecessors, adding new variables and creating greater layers of complexity.
The series prior release, Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword, left you in charge of managing the production, culture, research, and espionage of each city they possessed, along with the happiness, health and population of the city’s inhabitants. Likewise, each city could possess multiple religions and corporations, even consisting of people from different cultures than your own, allowing you to ‘capture’ a city culturally. It was a complex process to be sure, rewarding only the most attentive of players. It was welcome news then, to hear that Civ V set out to remove the more esoteric mechanics that turned many away from the series prior instalments, and replace them with simpler, smarter ones.
Civilization V sets out to make a Civ game that is accessible to anyone. In this respect, the game succeeds in every way. Never has there been a Civ game for the PC that has been so easy to pick up and play. The revamped combat system is easily the best addition to the series, making combat a tactical and enjoyable affair. Unfortunately, the AI rarely demands much in the way of true tactics, being itself inept with such decisions. As it is, the game’s AI owes its chances of victory to the arbitrary number modifiers allowing it to produce units in greater numbers than your own. While this isn’t new to the franchise, it’s far more prevalent in Civ V where the AI seems far less intelligent, requiring greater aid than before.
Despite the AI's lack of tactical depth, the bevy of improvements to the gameplay serves to add a distinctly fresh feel to the game. However, in its quest to make the game friendly to all users, Civ V shockingly lacks many of the improvements and additions made in previous Civilization games, particularly those from Civ IV.
Indeed, despite its popularity among fans, Civ V seemingly chooses to believe its predecessor doesn’t exist. Religion, espionage, corporations, taxation - Civ V simply scraps them. Culture and happiness exist per civilization, yet not per city - a change that feels unnecessary and simplifies the empire management negatively, rather than positively.
This negative simplification is a problem endemic to Civilization V; simplification by removal rather than innovation. Even optional demographics from prior Civilization games are missing, restraining you from making the game feel any deeper. Hiding and automating complex information or actions is a tolerable concession to accessibility, but Civilization V ignores this common wisdom, opting to simply remove them. Those wishing to take Civilization V to the same levels of complexity as prior Civilization games will find the game fighting back, tooth and nail.
On top of gameplay changes, diplomatic relations have been grossly simplified, to the point that most AI civilizations behave like children. Either you are stronger than other civilizations, causing them to behave kindly to you, or you are weaker and they hate you (and will declare war on you). Much had been said pre-release regarding AI civilizations capacity to utilize unique strategies and go for cultural or scientific victories, as well as military. In practice however, this is rarely the case as each civilization behaves remarkably like the next.
While the AI civilizations behave like children, the City States come across like mercenary contracts for hire, lending their services to the highest bidder, regardless of how long you may have been friends. I would say meaningful diplomatic relations are hard to come by, but frankly I'm doubtful they're even possible without imagining much of it yourself.
While many complaints can be made concerning the negative simplification of the game, a major plus of Civilization V is the game’s integrated mod support. Directly within the game, a player can view a list of mods and download it immediately, install it, and begin playing. Considering the heavy Civilization mod community, this addition could not be any more welcome. However, it's a bitter irony that the feature is primarily being employed to restore much of what was removed from Civilization V, in an attempt to revive the depth of prior installments.
Fundamentally, Civilization V innovates in ways that significantly improve on gameplay, and consequently succeeds in making certain aspects of the game feel genuinely fresh. Unfortunately, this step in a new direction feels just as much like a significant step backward. As the first installment of a new series, Civilization V is a fantastic game, but as a continuation of the Civilization series, it is a substantial disappointment.
+ Innovative and intuitive combat mechanic
+ Excellent in-game mod system
- Disappointing over-simplification
- Poor AI
- Unsatisfying diplomatic relations
